Web site usage via browsers is regularly tracked and analyzed by commercially available web analytics services, which gather detailed data about web page usage, and to some extent about particular web site users. Entities which provide other entities with web analytics services are referred to as “analytics providers”. One leading web analytics provider is Omniture, Inc., of Orem, Utah, the owner of the present invention. Omniture provides web analytics technology under its well-known mark SiteCatalyst™. All other marks used herein are property of their respective owners.
At present web analytics data are typically collected from server logs or using web-beacons. Web-beacons are small image requests placed in a web page to cause communication between the user's device and a server. The server may be controlled by the analytics provider, by the vendor whose website contains the web-beacons, or by another party. Web-beacons are also known as clear GIFs, web bugs, image requests, or pixel tags. Web-beacons can be used for advertising, behavioral targeting, and other processes, to gather information a visits to websites. Web-beacons are commonly used by analytics providers to gather analytics data.
Web analytics data is more useful when it is presented in a manner that answers pertinent business questions. Toward that end, Omniture has provided various tools and services which filter, visualize, organize, and otherwise help manage raw analytics data in order to help Omniture clients and partners improve their web sites and services. In particular, Omniture has commercially provided reporting tools which present results in at least tabular form, funnel graphs, conventional pie chart formats, overlays on tracked web pages, bar charts, line graphs, maps, and/or plots. Other data visualization tools are also available.
Other concepts related to the present invention may be known, or become apparent through sources other than this background, including without limitation the references being made of record in connection with the present document.